The Irish Rovers have been selling out worldwide and are thrilled to be coming to the State Theatre in Red Bluff for a show at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28.

The days of the long tours are finally coming to an end for these Irish lads as they are now completing one last world tour. This year, after their US dates, the band heads over to the old country where they will receive big honors.

“In some ways it seems like yesterday, in other ways it seems a million years ago when I first met and played with Jimmy (Ferguson),” said band leader George Millar. “Neither of us had any idea what could possibly be ahead of us. To return home and play in Ireland after all these years, will be a highlight of our career and one we’re looking forward to immensely.”

The band will be guests of honor at a Civic Reception in Northern Ireland to welcome them home and be applauded for all they have done over the years for the music industry, and for promoting Ireland across North America and beyond.

Another great honor this year is being recognized as one of Ireland’s greatest exports by Ireland’s newest and most state of the art museum in Dublin, EPIC Ireland.

“The Irish Rovers are iconic, world class and with very a long career,” said Museum Director Mervyn Greene. “That’s important to us in Ireland. They’ve truly taken Ireland with them and shown the world as no one else has.”

As young Irish immigrants themselves, the Rovers emigrated to Canada and became so much a part of the Canadian culture that Canada’s Prime Minister Trudeau personally asked them to become Canadian citizens so they could represent Canada around the world.

Since the ’60s, the Celtic super-group traveled the world as musical ambassadors taking them as far as the Arctic Circle, Japan and Germany, with regular tours to Australia, New Zealand and the US.

In the ’70s they hosted their first of three international television series, “The Irish Rovers Show,” and throughout the next 20 years their weekly television shows brought Ireland into living rooms of America and the rest of the world.

More recently, their 2012 Drunken Sailor album went viral on YouTube, made news headlines back home in Belfast and put them back on radio across North America – with a new younger generation audience.

Tickets for the Red Bluff performance are available at statetheatreredbluff.com or in person at Tehama Country Visitor Center, 250 Antelope Blvd.